A Blog by Tyler White

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Monday, 15 December 2014

As a competitive boxer and kick boxer, I've had fights - won some and lost some and every performance gets criticised... I suppose it's bound to, but what I find the most annoying is when people have to put a negative spin on someone's success!

This is something I thought last night: "Some people always have to put a negative spin on things whenever someone has some form of success..." and it's true is it not? You always hear someone saying "yes but..." - attempting to put down someone's success or achievement. If you don't hear someone picking fault in person you will always find it on Social Media sites such as: Twitter or Facebook where they may think it's safer to do so.

I noticed this in particular this weekend, with three situations, all of which were in Sport:

- Amir Khan Vs. Devon Alexander
- David De Gea and his performance Vs. Liverpool
- Lewis Hamilton winning the Sports Personality of the Year

Let me explain...

- Khan Vs. Alexander: A lot of people taking the mick out of Amir Khan for his "glass chin" and his "chicken legs", already doubting him and putting a negative spin on things before the man even boxed.

A lot of people always slate Amir Khan after his KO defeat to Danny Garcia, however, people do not seem to understand that he is boxing at the highest level and all it takes is one punch... Granted Khan doesn't have the best chin in the business but ultimately how many of these people who are so quick to criticise could take a punch half as well as Amir Khan?

Then after his brilliant performance against Alexander, people start taking that away from him, saying that Alexander is average and has no power, etc. Again, putting a negative spin on things and taking things away from Khan's performance! At the end of the day, Khan has moved up in weight, looks a lot better and stronger, boxed brilliantly against a class opponent and as a result he has some good; big fights around the corner.

I can say from personal experience how hard boxing actually is and what's funny is that a lot of people who criticise fighters like Khan have never boxed competitively themselves nor even trained in boxing!

- David De Gea: I don't know an awful lot about football, but again as soon as he received some praise for his performance against Liverpool, people start going on about how the strikers trying to score against him were poor and not in form - even if that is the case (which it's not because they're playing in the Premier League...) just give the guy some praise and stop taking his achievements away from him!

- Lewis Hamilton: "all Lewis Hamilton does is drive a car and he wins SPOTY" - what a clueless and narrow minded sort of comment. Yes, granted that in F1 it has a lot to do with the car, but it's also to do with the driver! The levels of fitness/physical strength/mental strength and guts that the driver has to have are immense and are a lot more than other people will ever have! A Formula 1 driver is an exceptional athlete.

So, after all of that I have a conclusion as to why so many people always put a negative spin on people and their success:

- Jealousy
- Lack of self belief
- Thinking they know best

A lot of people are "Armchair Champions" and they seem to supposedly know everything there is to know about everything... These are the people who think they know best. They may be quick to criticise but could they do things half as well as those who they criticise?
Some people don't believe in themselves and therefore, have to put others down in order to make themselves feel better... It's sad, but true!
Jealousy... People are jealous. Jealous of others' fame, success, achievements, wealth, happiness, etc.

It's a shame that people can't just be happy for someone and praise them for what they've done and achieved; sadly there will always be someone sat there quick to pick fault.

If you're reading this then see if you can spot any examples of this over the next week and take a note of it - I do things like this quite regularly and it's pretty interesting!!

Monday, 27 January 2014

But, before I go on to talk about my own dreams, just ask yourself what your dreams are...

What are your dreams?
What are you going to do to achieve those dreams?

The first step in achieving your dream is to write it down, there is a quote I love which says: "Goals [dreams] which are not written down are just wishes." - so, if you want your dreams to be more than just a wish, get writing!!

Anyone can have a dream, it's whether or not they are willing to dedicate themselves to achieving that dream and are able to sacrifice certain pleasures in life to fulfil those ultimate goals. Without hard work and dedication (as Floyd Mayweather would say), then your dreams cannot and will not be achieved.

Dreams aren't easily achieved, sometimes you've got to fight your way through certain struggles in life and that in itself is a test, a test which determines whether or not you will ultimately, achieve your dreams. Everybody will at some point have a struggle in their life, a bit of a crisis! Whether that be big or small, well that's up to fate/God (whatever you believe in), but these hardships prepare you and if you can bite down on your gum shield and weather the storm then you have passed the test, if you've passed the test then you have taken one step closer to achieving your dream.

"Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny..." C.S. Lewis

Unless you're willing to make the appropriate sacrifices to achieving your dream, it will not become reality. Dreams have to be worked hard for, sacrifices have to be made in order to achieve and you have to love and enjoy the process.

I have hundreds of dreams and goals, some minor, some major, but the most prominent dream and the biggest is: becoming a World Champion in the Sport of Boxing. That in itself is a huge dream to have, but life is too short not to aim high and strive to be the best, you have to set your aims high if you want to make something of yourself and be remembered as someone. Someone who achieved something amazing.

These are just a small fraction of the total steps I need to follow in order to become a World Champion, but all steps that I am willing to take to achieve that ultimate dream.

The next question I want you to ask yourself is WHY... WHY do you want to achieve your dream?

Is it to be happy?
Is it to be famous?
Is it to help the less fortunate?
Is it for self satisfaction?

The most important thing you need to achieve your dreams for is YOU. Your dreams should be personal to you and be there for you to achieve for yourself.
Dreams don't have to be achieved purely for your own satisfaction however, but also for external reasons. I will run you through a few reason why I would like to Achieve my dreams...

- For myself
- To leave behind a legacy
- To make my family proud and to provide for them
- To prove to those who doubt(ed) me that it can be done
- To give back to all my friends and family

But a big reason I would like to be a World Champion is so that I could make a difference to other peoples lives. I'm aware that I could do that now by raising money, but to me life isn't just about money, but about experiences. I would love to be able to visit an ill child in hospital and for them to recognise my face, for them to see me as an idol and an inspiration, for them to be able to talk to one of their heroes about any of their worries and/or troubles and most importantly, so that they could see first hand that they can overcome adversity and that they can still achieve their dreams despite undergoing treatment for life threatening illnesses such as cancer.

I've been in their position, I have been there first hand, I've beaten cancer and gone through all the horror that comes with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but I have come out the other side, more positive and have come back stronger than before chasing down my dreams and throwing myself back into life. I would love to give youngsters that hope and inspiration that so many of my friends, family and heroes gave me.

Meeting Carl Froch was an amazing experience, as well as meeting so many of my heroes, so I know how much it would mean to these young, brave children to meet their heroes. So, one main reason I want to become a World Champion is not only for me, my friends and family, but for all those kids who have been taken away from a normal childhood and have had to endure the same struggles that I have and even worse.

I will push my body to the limit, I will make sacrifices, I will do whatever it takes to achieve my dreams, for me, my friends; family and most importantly all those little fighters who inspire me daily.

Sunday, 5 January 2014

Apologies for my inactivity, however, I've been really busy getting back into my training and just enjoying life again! Since being diagnosed with Hodkgin's Lymphoma on 28th February 2013 I still continued to train, throughout all my treatment, but I was able to return to training properly at the end of August/early September - Since then it's pretty much been all that I've done, alongside my Personal Training and college work and I'm really, really enjoying it again. I am feeling great and my new training diary is looking great, each page so far is full of training, whether that be physical, mental or visual training.

I've been researching a bit more about cancer fighting diets and trying my best to base my diet around that, also I've been trying to start getting my PT business really up and running. In the next month or so, I will have my own share in a private gym where I will be doing Personal Training - so, if you want to learn how to box, to get fit, to become stronger or to lose weight then please contact me and find out more. Personal Training is the industry I really would like to go into, I am in a great place where I am always learning from the other coaches around me, so I am constantly learning and gaining knowledge which will make me a better and more successful Personal Trainer!

Christmas this year was very different for me, I was so, so happy to be here and I made sure that I enjoyed each second of it! As usual, I went and did some training on Christmas day which was fitting really, because training and boxing is my life and I think it also saved my life, so why not celebrate Christmas with a bit of boxing training!? I ate for England that day too and helped myself to not one, but two Christmas dinner's! I got a lot of great gifts and then had my 18th birthday two days later on the 27th. Again, I had a nice day - but it started with a few tears as it was another birthday without my Dad, but I soon snapped out of it and went up to the gym, to do yet again, a bit more training! The day before on boxing day, I was up at the gym again, not training physically myself this time but training what I call 'visually' by watching the guys from the gym spar with one another - trying to dissect what they were all doing and learn from them all. The standard was high as always and great to watch!!

The best part about the festive season though, was being there with my family, being there with my family, healthy and with the ability to still train and do what I love. As always, Christmas is quite an emotional time because of losing my dad, but with the events of 2013 it really was quite emotional, but new years couldn't come quick enough as 2013 was a year which I was quite happy to see the back of.

What have I learnt this year?
I have learnt many, many things:

To enjoy yourself and enjoy what you do

To not take others for granted

To appreciate your health, make the most out of your healthy body

"Your Health is your Wealth"

"Your Body is your Temple"

To chase your dreams and never give up, not for anyone or anything

To always believe in yourself

Who my true friends are

To tell people who you appreciate, why you appreciate them!

I hope that in 2013 I changed at least one persons life, that I inspired one person, that I made a difference and that I motivated at least one person to chase their dreams. I hope I have done something positive for at least one person, because I believe that out of something negative comes something positive!!!

I will leave you with a quote or two that I really, really like...

"It is the mind that makes good or ill. That which makes up happy or sad; rich or poor" - Edmund Spencer

"Winning doesn't make you a better person, but being a better person will make you a Winner." - Unknown

"The progress may be slow and the journey may be long, but believe in yourself and you will succeed." - Tyler White (during 2nd cycle of Chemo)

"Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny..." - C.S. Lewis

Sports Direct sent me a pair of Everlast Protex 2 boxing gloves, 14oz and in Blue...

First impressions...WOW! What a great looking glove, just from looking at the glove, you can tell they're going to fit well and that they are of great qualit. They are nice and simple, the colours are great, the primary colour being a dark blue and the secondary colour being a really nice grey. Another nice touch on the gloves is on the palm side of the glove, where it says "Greatness is within" - that's one thing I really like about Everlast gloves as it's just pretty cool!So, lets get stuck in with all the positives...- The gloves are nice and compact and offer a lot of support to the wrist as well- They fit really snug without wraps and once your wraps are on then they feel great!- The wrist strap on the glove is only small, but that's good as it is all the glove needs and doesn't leave a big wrist strap flapping around.

- The Everlast Protex 2's are very well put together and look pretty durable- Also, these gloves are 'EverCool' so that your hands can still 'breathe' whilst in the glove. - The padding in the glove is well spread out, there is a considerable amount of padding around the metatarsals which is always good for preventing any damage/injury to the hands, the knuckles are well protected and as I said before, there is a good amount of padding and support in the wrist which I really like as the wrist is a very vulnerable part of the fist.

- The gloves design is basic but looks great- Really nice colours- Great fitting- They feel great to punch in- Give you some re-assurance because you know your hands are well protected- Everlast is a well respected boxing brandNegatives:- They only come in 14oz/16oz- Limited colours (Blue/Red)So, really not a lot of negatives to point about out about these gloves! I really liked them and so did a lot of the guys from my gym. My gym is home to World, European, British kickboxing Champions, Team GB squad members, Pro boxer's and Pro MMA fighters and everyone there said how nice they looked and how nice they were to wear. These gloves are definitely comfortable and well constructed, they aren't too bulbous or cumbersome and they are definitely worth the money!

These gloves would be a brilliant purchase for a beginner, these gloves would more than likely last a beginner a long time, but these gloves are also suited to someone who trains a lot and competes often, when you start to get into the Elite side of boxing, these gloves may not be the best as they are Everlast level 2 - Everlast level 3 gloves would probably be better as they describe their level 3 as 'Elite'. However, there are many elite athletes at my gym and they all seemed happy and impressed with them, so these could well be great for elite boxer's too and I wouldn't argue against that!!

Overall, these gloves are fantastic. I was well pleased with them and they exceeded my expectations! I will be using these gloves for bagwork and may even get a pair of 16oz for sparring in. Like the TITLE boxing gloves I reviewed in December last year, they come with a bag to keep the gloves together and clean and tidy which is always a bonus. I'd recommend these gloves to anyone, they originally retail at £49.99, however, Sports Direct sell them for an awesome £24.99! That is definitely worth spending on these gloves and hey, why not get two pairs if you really like them? One for training on the bags and pads and one pair for sparring... Surprisingly good gloves in my opinion.Ratings:- Looks: 5/5 - look great and basic, really nice colours.- Comfort: 4/5 - really comfortable.- Price: 5/5 - great value for money and well worth it- Durability: 4/5 - haven't had them long enough to tell how durable they really are, but judging on the look of them and because they are a decent pair of Everlast boxing gloves I'd say they are pretty durable!You can find the gloves here: http://www.sportsdirect.com/everlast-protex-2-training-gloves-762004?colcode=76200418&utm_source=twhite95&utm_medium=product%20review&utm_campaign=Everlast%20Protex%202%20Training%20Gloves

Browse the website to choose your colour and the size you want.
Don't miss this offer guys, well worth it!!

Friday, 20 December 2013

Title Professional Training Boxing Gloves -

16oz - YELLOW

If you're new to boxing and are looking for an all round boxing glove then this is a great purchase!

I would recommend these gloves to any beginner because they are only £20 and aren't too badly put together, especially not for someone who is just learning the basics and doing a few sessions a week.

The 'Title' brand is quite a well known boxing brand and these gloves themselves are value for money.

I have tried and tested these gloves myself, as have a few of my training partners and also a few of the junior boxer's at my club. Here are a few negatives and positives that we've found with the 'Title Professional Training Boxing Gloves'...

Positives:- They look old school and basic - ideal for a training glove!- They're snug fitting. The pair that I reviewed are 16oz, smaller sizes would be a bit tighter, but not too tight, and personally I like a tight fitting glove, as do the majority of fighters.- There is a fair amount of padding on and around the thumb, meaning your thumb is well protected.- The glove has been constructed similarly to the 'Everlast - Hook & Loop' gloves, which could favor a 'puncher'.- Title are a respectable boxing brand.- Ideal for a beginner.- Inexpensive.- There are air holes on the palm side of the glove, allowing your hands to 'breathe'.- They come in a glove bag, meaning you can keep them together and tidy.

12oz Everlast Hook & Loop, next to 16oz Title Pro Training gloves

Negatives:
- There is hardly any wrist support, a lot of boxer's like their wrists to be supported and personally, wrist support is something I would advise. So, the lack of wrist support in these gloves lets them down a little.

- The padding was slightly, slightly uneven on the pair I got. Once worn in, they will more than likely settle and even out!

- The gloves do look a little on the cheaper side, but that shouldn't put you off.

- I haven't used the gloves enough to see if they're that durable, but from inspection, I'd say that they aren't hugely durable, but if you're starting out in the sport they should last you a fair while!

- Slight discoloration on a tiny part of one of the gloves.

So, overall, I actually really like these gloves. Unlike a lot of 16oz gloves they don't look too bulky, they fit well and are great value for money in my opinion. I wouldn't recommend these gloves to anyone who trains and competes regularly unless they were used specifically for one thing such as bag work or sparring, I like to train in heavier gloves, hence, why I review a lot of gloves in 16oz, but I think these would be just as good if not better at a lighter weight from a 10oz-14oz.

For a beginner, they are great gloves and I'd recommend them! They're well padded and look really cool, also after getting a few of the junior boxer's I train they said that they felt really light and that they look like nice and 'cool' gloves.

Here are some ratings, based on my own opinion...- Looks: 4/5 - look really cool and old school, but could look a bit better.- Comfort: 4/5 - really pretty comfortable.- Price: 5/5 - great value for money and well worth it- Durability: 3/5 - haven't had them long enough to tell really, but they are probably durable for a beginner, but for anyone who is training near enough every day, they look as though they won't hold out for too long.

Sunday, 10 November 2013

I'm delighted to say that I've had a really good few weeks!! Two weeks ago, I met Carl Froch and George Groves at Sky Sports Studios and am going to be on a special Sky Sports programme in December. I won't go into too much detail about that and I will leave that for another time, but make sure to keep an eye on Sky Sports in December time to catch me on T.V after an extra-ordinary day! :-)

In other news, I had a really nice week away with my girlfriend and her family, only to find that I was in the Boxing News on Thursday 7th November, with an article about me and my fight with cancer and how I kept on boxing. For all my readers I think that this would be a great thing for you all to read, so if you can get a copy of that edition of Boxing News then please try to. I wont post the article as I'm not 100% sure if I am allowed, due to legal stuff, but I will post the headline and picture.

I was really, really grateful for the article and it was great to read. It is something that I will keep with me forever and look back at throughout my lifetime and my boxing career. That is one of my life goals ticked off - being in Boxing News! :-)

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

So today I got my business cards through! I say this is slow progress because now I have something like this I can get myself out there and advertise my motivational speaking services a bit.

I have a talk lined up for November at my former secondary school and I'm really looking forward to it! If anybody local to me wishes for any business cards of mine that they can distribute to those who may be interested then please let me know.

Finally, I would just like to leave you with another picture which a friend of mine uploaded to Facebook this evening. It meant a lot to me and I think it's brilliant!! It's from the App 'bit strips'